Posts Tagged ‘Casio EXILIM EX-FH100’

The Casio EX-FH100 has been making waves since its announcement at CES due to its inclusion of a back-illuminated CMOS sensor, 10x optical zoom and—most notably—high-speed video and still recording. Priced at $349.99, the FH100 offers a lot of features, including full manual shooting and the ever-alluring possibility to capture slow-motion video, all in a sleek and compact body. The fact that the FH100 can shoot high-speed movies at 1,000 frames per second (fps) and burst mode stills at 40fps tops the list of reasons that it’s an exciting piece of equipment, and the superb quality of its still image capture makes it a nice overall camera, albeit with a few frustrating UI kinks.

High Speed Still Images

High-speed shooting is accessed at any time by pressing the HS button on top of the camera, or by turning the shooting mode dial to the red Continuous Shooting option. With the HS button you can toggle between continuous shooting and single shot, regardless of whether you are in CS mode, Manual, Aperture Priority or Shutter Priority. Continuous shooting is not available when shooting in Best Shot mode. In continuous shooting mode, you have the option of capturing up to 30 images at rates of up to 40fps. These choices are accessed by pressing the SET button. For capturing action such as sports or fast-moving subjects such as pets, the EX-FH100 is almost unparalleled among compact cameras.

Super Slow Motion Video

As I mentioned, the show-stopping feature of this camera is its ability to shoot high-speed movies at up to 1,000 frames per second—which allows for a super slow-motion effect (33 times slower than true life). With video becoming not only popular but expected in compact cameras these days, the Casio EX-FH100 goes above and beyond in delivering exciting possibilities for creating slow-motion movies with pocket-size equipment. The drawback, however, to recording these impressive slow-motion movies at 1,000fps is that the resolution is substantially decreased, bringing videos all the way down to 224 x 64 pixels in size (640 x 480 at 120fps, 448 x 336 at 240fps, 224 x 168 at 420fps).

What Needs Work

This camera is a serious piece of equipment—both the features and the price reflect that—and yet the thing handles quite inelegantly. The screeching electronic noise that the lens motor makes when you zoom and focus is truly painful. It sounds as if the camera is frying on the inside. Frankly, it sounds cheap. And then there’s the auto focus lag, which is a problem in several of the shooting modes from the Best Shot menu—even when you press the shutter release half way down. The worst of it happens when shooting in “Multi-motion image” mode from the BS menu. Once the image is finally captured, the screen goes black and then says “Busy…Please wait…” for 15 seconds. Obviously in the interim you are bound to miss any other photo-ops. It’s hard, however, to complain too much about this when the high-speed camera offers continuous shooting mode to make sure you capture a whole sequence instead of worrying about shot-to-shot lag time. But sometimes you just want to take one picture, not 30, not 10, not even 5.

The layout of the camera’s buttons also leaves much to be desired. Where one’s thumb would naturally sit when gripping the camera, the video record button also sits. There is also the chance that a thumb will inadvertently press the HS button when pressing the shutter release because of where it sits, making it easy to accidentally switch to or from high-speed mode. The camera’s large 3-inch LCD is nice and bright, but is probably the culprit as to why buttons seem awkwardly placed in the meager space beside it.

Conclusion

The battery life of the EX-FH100 is remarkable, and its compact size makes it easily portable, though it is noticeably heavier than many point-and-shoot cameras on the market right now. Because it uses a backlit CMOS sensor, it does incredibly well in low-light, capturing sharp images even in the dimly lit temperate rain forests of northern Washington State. With a whole host of Best Shot scene modes, as well as Manual, Aperture Priority and Shutter Priority modes, the EX-FH100 does stand alone as a feature-rich compact digicam, but if you are looking into purchasing this camera it’s most likely for its specific high-speed capabilities.

At CES, Casio has announced four new EXILIM compact cameras—the HIGH SPEED EXILIM EX-FH100, EXILIM EX-H15, EX-Z2000 and EX-Z550.

From Casio:
Casio America, Inc., and its parent company, Casio Computer Co., Ltd., today unveiled four new models in its award-winning EXILIM product line. Advancing the company’s performance-driven digital camera offerings, each new model builds on Casio’s tradition of delivering technological innovation and creativity to users. The first, the HIGH SPEED EXILIM® EX-FH100, featuring Casio’s heralded high-speed burst shooting, ensures users never miss a crucial shot again and packs a high-power zoom lens into a compact body. The next three, the EXILIM EX-H15, EX-Z2000 and EX-Z550 all feature Casio’s unique Dynamic PhotoTM function that lets users edit and combine different moving images right on the camera.

The leading models of this lineup, the EX-FH100 and EX-H15 are 10X optical zoom
cameras, providing users with the ability to capture images from close or far distances. While
the EX-FH100 makes the most of Casio’s unsurpassed high-speed burst shooting, the other
three feature high-speed image-processing technology — not only to improve image quality,
which has always been a key element of camera performance, but also to offer users entirely
new ways of enjoying photography.

Thanks to the high-speed image-processing capability of the cameras, moving subjects can be
dynamically “cut out” and pasted into a different still shot that forms the background. Before
this technology was introduced by Casio in 2009, this Hollywood-like green-screen effect was
only possible with professional equipment or software, but this technology is available in
EXILIM digital cameras as an in-camera process. Casio’s Dynamic Photo feature was further
enhanced through the ability to add animation art stored on the memory card to still photos
captured by the camera. These animated images can be emailed, posted on social networks
and even printed out at home!

“Casio is proud to introduce four new additions to the EXILIM line of digital cameras
powered by Casio’s high-speed technologies,” said Toshi Iguchi, senior general manager of
Casio’s Digital Imaging Division. “Casio continues to create digital cameras that enhance the
photo taking and sharing experience while also providing consumers with convenience,
accessibility and quality packed into a slim, sleek body.”

HIGH SPEED EXILIM EX-FH100
This 10.1 effective megapixel high-speed digital camera boasts a wide-angle 24 mm 10X
optical zoom lens in a compact body that makes it easy to carry anywhere. It also gives
users a maximum burst rate of 40 shots per second for still images (maximum image size
of 9.0 megapixels and maximum shooting capacity of 30 shots) that can now be used to
photograph distant subjects thanks to the high-power zoom. It also enables up to 1,000 fps
high-speed movie recording that captures motion that is ordinarily too fast for the human
eye to see.

The EX-FH100 allows users ranging from advanced amateur photographers to beginners to
enjoy high-speed burst shooting. It is equipped with a mode dial that enables manual
exposure burst shooting and also has a mode that makes high-speed burst shooting easy, a
feature that sets the burst shooting speed to the optimal rate just by selecting the type of
scene. With this model, Casio also achieves low-noise, high-quality photography even in
dim indoor lighting by using a highly sensitive CMOS sensor.

EXILIM EX-H15 / EX-Z2000 / EX-Z550
These three models are all 14.1 effective megapixel high-performance digital cameras
driven by Casio’s newly developed EXILIM Engine 5.0. Great advancements have been
achieved in the Dynamic Photo function, which enables users to cut out images of a
moving subject and paste them on a different still image that acts as a background. With
these powerful new cameras, moving images can be combined not only on a still image but
also on other moving images. This new capability increases the power of expression of
images even more than before. Going further, these models not only increase the “fun of
creating images,” but also increase the “fun of sharing images” by, for instance, making it
easy to upload composite moving images to YouTube™ using the included software or
post them to a blog.

The three cameras also come with Premium Auto, which is a state-of-the-art, fully
automatic function that enables users to take beautiful photos just by pushing the shutter
button. Premium Auto automatically adjusts to achieve optimal image quality by
discerning the point of focus and the type of scene, whether a night scene, a backlit scene,
or a sunset. It processes the image according to the details in the frame, for instance, by
making different corrections for human subjects and background. In addition, the leading
model, EX-H15, features 10X optical zoom.

HIGH SPEED EXILIM EX-FH100
A Highly Sensitive, High-Speed Digital Camera with a Powerful Zoom in a Compact Body
Wide-angle 24 mm 10X optical zoom lens in a compact body
The EX-FH100 features a high-power zoom lens in a compact body measuring just 105.0
mm wide x 63.2 mm tall x 29.9 mm thick.* The lens delivers all the freedom of zoom
photography — from a wide-angle 24 mm to a 10X optical zoom that brings distant
subjects right up close.

* In accordance with Camera & Imaging Products Association (CIPA) standards.
Ultra-high speed burst shooting captures crucial moments at a speed of 40 shots per second
This model can take up to 30 shots of 9.0 megapixel high-resolution images with highspeed
burst shooting at a maximum speed of 40 shots per second. What is more, if the
camera is set to Prerecord Continuous Shutter, users will not miss those critical moments
even if they press the shutter a little late, since the camera starts shooting when the shutter
button is only depressed halfway.

High-speed movie recording at up to 1,000 fps
The EXILIM EX-FH100 can record high-speed movies of motion that is ordinarily too fast
for the human eye to see. Users can select a recording speed of 1,000 fps, 420 fps, 240 fps,
or 120 fps. This model also has a mode that lets users to switch to high-speed recording at
240 fps or 120 fps by pressing a single button during normal movie recording (30 fps).
High-speed recording allows users to enjoy dramatic, ultra slow-motion playback.*
* For example, one second of actual movie recorded at a speed of 420 fps can be played back over 14 seconds at 30 fps.

Highly sensitive CMOS sensor
Casio continues the quest for ever-higher picture quality, the foundation of every camera’s
performance. This model incorporates a back-illuminated CMOS sensor that boasts nearly
twice the usual sensitivity. This lets users take beautiful photos outside as well as highquality,
low-noise photos indoors or in other dim lighting. And of course, the model also
comes with CMOS-shift image stabilization.

With the EX-FH100, users can take beautiful photos — even of human subjects at night
— without worrying about photo blur. The camera can do this by internally combining
images taken with a single press of the shutter button using highly sensitive high-speed
burst shooting with the flash into a single, crystal-clear image.

High-speed Lighting
The EX-FH100 takes three images using high-speed burst shooting, adjusting the
exposure for normal (standard), bright, and dim subjects, respectively, with a single press
of the shutter button. These images are then combined into a single image inside the
camera, enabling reproduction of full brightness throughout the photo and helping to
avoid bad photos with washed out or overly dark areas when the scene is strongly
backlit.

High-Speed Burst Shooting BEST SHOT / High-Speed Movie BEST SHOT
The EX-FH100 also has “High-Speed Burst Shooting BEST SHOT” and “High-Speed
Movie BEST SHOT” modes that optimize the burst shooting or high-speed movie
settings simply by selecting the type of scene to be photographed — such as a child, pet,
or sports scene — at the critical moment or in slow motion.

High-resolution HD Movie function
The EX-FH100 also features an HD Movie function. Just press the dedicated Movie button
to take beautiful movies at 1280×720 pixels. The camera is equipped with an HDMI™
terminal and stereo microphone, which enable users to enjoy a beautiful picture and
realistic sound by connecting the camera to a large display TV.

Newly developed EXILIM Engine 5.0
Casio has made even further advances from its EXILIM Engine 4.0, which contained both
an ordinary CPU and a high-speed dedicated image processing CPU. The new Engine 5.0
increases image processing speed by 30% and produces beautiful images through advanced
color reproduction and rich tonal gradation and by removing noise from photos in high
sensitivity mode.

Dynamic Photo: Make composite images of different moving images
Casio has achieved great advancements in Dynamic Photo, a function that creates “moving
photos” by cutting moving subjects from the background in images taken with continuous
shooting and combining those images on a different still image. In addition to composites
made with a still image background, cut-out moving images can now be pasted on other
moving images. This new capability raises the power of expression of images. Thus, while
increasing the “fun of creating images,” these models will also increase the “fun of sharing
images” by making it easy to upload images to YouTube™ using the included software or
post them to a blog.

Premium Auto: Take beautiful photos just by pressing the shutter button
This function enables the camera to automatically analyze the scene being photographed —
including distinguishing night scenes, back lighting, a blue sky, green trees, or a sunset —
as well as sensing whether there is a face in the frame, the movement and position of the
subject, and whether a tripod is being used. It simultaneously optimizes settings for
exposure, ISO sensitivity, point of focus, photo blur correction, tonal range and color
balance, and level of noise reduction. Premium Auto is a state-of-the-art, fully automatic
function that makes it easy for users to take superior quality photos just by pushing the
shutter button, by analyzing the image at the level of individual pixels and performing
different corrections for human subjects and the background.

Art Shot Function: Shoot photographs that look like paintings
The Art Shot Function makes use of the image processing technology in the EXILIM
Engine 5.0 to create photos of scenery or human subjects that have the feel of a painting.
The view in the LCD screen of the subject in front of the user can be switched between an
oil painting, a crayon drawing, or a watercolor painting, allowing the user to select the
preferred art style in which to photograph the scene.

A camera for everyone
EX-H15
This 14.1 effective megapixel model packs a wide-angle 24 mm 10X optical zoom lens
and a 3.0-inch Super Clear LCD screen with a high resolution of approximately 460,000
pixels into a compact body. The camera is also loaded with advanced standard features
including CCD-shift image stabilization, long 1,000-shot* battery life on a single full
charge, and the high-resolution HD Movie function.
* In accordance with Camera & Imaging Products Association (CIPA) standards.

EX-Z2000
This 14.1 effective megapixel model comes with a wide-angle 26 mm 5X optical zoom
and a 3.0-inch Super Clear LCD screen with a high resolution of approximately 460,000
pixels in a compact, thin body. The camera comes with CCD-shift image stabilization
and HD Movie function, as well as a long-life battery, making it possible to take 580
shots* on a single full charge. With this model, Casio has also realized a fresh new
digital camera design, creating an innovative form finished in natural curves.
* In accordance with Camera & Imaging Products Association (CIPA) standards.